APEC to fund initiative on off-grid areas’ energy resiliency

Business World Online
Posted on October 02, 2015 06:43:00 PM
By Claire-Ann Marie C. Feliciano, Senior Reporter

THE ENERGY department has secured funding from the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) for the improvement of power situation in areas not connected to the country’s main grid, an official told reporters on Tuesday.

Energy Undersecretary Loreta G. Ayson said the APEC Energy Working Group will provide $100,070 for a workshop aimed at improving energy resiliency in off-grid areas.

“We’re awaiting the release of funds from APEC but the project, ideally, should be completed by June 2016, before the new president takes over,” Ms. Ayson said on the sidelines of the Philippine Economic Briefing in Pasay City.

The official said the funds will be managed by the Energy department’s finance division.

“The objective of the funding is to do some workshops and bring in all the experts with regards on energy resiliency,” Ms. Ayson said, explaining this will eventually determine infrastructure needs of the off-grid areas.

She said the project will also involve the crafting of a handbook that will provide specific guidelines on how to attain energy resiliency in off-grid areas.

“This will take up standards of infrastructure, retrofitting of poor quality infrastructure and engineering solutions to withstand the strongest calamities,” said Ms. Ayson.

A background on the project showed that it will involve a series of workshops that will be conducted among APEC member economies to identify and address common challenges, lessons learned and best practices in improving resiliency of energy infrastructure in off-grid areas.

This is necessary given the threats of natural disasters and the impact of climate change.

Off-grid areas, according to the briefer, are so remote that connection to the main grid is not an immediate option.

“Electricity in these areas is mainly sourced from diesel generators putting the supply at risk in times of energy disruptions,” the document read.

“In view of environmental considerations and technology innovations, renewable energy resources such as solar, wind and hydro power provide alternative off-grid solutions,” it added.

This will also lead to the development of short and long-term response mechanisms for the restoration of energy facilities.

“Experts in this field will provide guidance during the workshops and case studies from relevant member economies on actual experiences will be highlighted,” the document noted. source